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Gurney
'''Gurney Jindredth '''is a human fighter, active in the war against Buggo in the 1st century BDR. Born in the town of Falbraith, in the Southern Reach, History Early Life Gurney was born to a traditional Falbrain commune-family. As a child, his Eldermother Andara taught him a nursery rhyme that she claimed would protect him on cold, dark nights: Spirits, spirits, heed my cry/Listen to this lullaby/Spirits, leave me to my fate/Oh spirits don't be late He trained as a warrior under Susaine, the head of the Village Watch, and eventually became her lieutenant, leading sorties against the bandit queen. He fell in love with the baker's apprentice, Kannis, and the two planned to adopt a child and begin their own commune-family. They never got the chance. The Ruin of Falbraith "There's something I need to tell you," Gurney said, his face gaining the steely composure familiar to the party from weeks of combat. "I am marked for death, to join my family and my people in the grave. Until around a year ago, I served as a guardsman for the small town where I was born, a town called Falbraith. You may find it still on maps, but a visitor would only encounter bloodstained ruins and ash." He paused, and was silent for a long moment, and continued: "Not far from Falbraith there ruled a vicious bandit queen, who lusted deeply after our riches. For years, our two sides fought in stalemate. One day, on a routine patrol, we were met by a group of her minions. We slew all but one, a senior commander, who told us of a secret entrance to her lair if only we would spare his life. Some nights, when the dreams are not so vicious to me, I think of finding him and ripping his lying tongue from his mouth. It was an entrance indeed - the entrance to an ambush. I was arrogant then, and in my arrogance I demanded of my commander, Susaine, that I lead all of our forces on a final, decisive mission. They were waiting for us when we arrived, sealing the cave behind us and raining arrows from every direction. Of course we expected some resistance, and our shields were ready for the task. It seemed to be an easy victory. Then the spells started. Noxious clouds of poison and great balls of fire sprung up among our ranks, and men I had served with for years turned their sword to me..." He broke off there, choking back the tears of memory. "They turned their swords against me and I struck them down. In seconds we were defeated, recruits that I had known since they were yearlings lying dead on the ground. The queen had enlisted a powerful magic user, Astra, promising her a stake in the conquest. As the commanding officer, it was my... Privilege... To survive the battle. I was caged and brought with them as they poured out from the forest and towards Falbraith. The bandit queen made me watch her beasts attack everyone and everything I loved. Susaine was killed in her sleep. My mothers and fathers, my eldermother, my husband. Kannis fared the best-he was always the stronger one, but I did not know what his strength meant until then. Even he fell. And I watched it all, paralyzed more by my failure than the chains that bound me. I watched my world burn." "When I awoke, I was alone, unbound. I made for Garien, our allies, for shelter and to warn them. Mere hours after I arrived, Astra and the queen's armies sprang from nowhere and assaulted the town. They were able to marshal a resistance and drive them back, sustaining major wounds and casualties. Their timing was uncanny. I knew that I had been marked by some sort of mystical instrument, a device of the witch Astra, that destruction would follow me wherever I go, yet never claim me. So I took my curse to this wartorn kingdom, in the hopes that it could not follow. When I found you in the Sovagxa, I had been walking for months, dropping where I stood when I tired, willing myself to waste into nothing, growing weaker and weaker. It appeared that Buggo's forces were enough to keep Astra at bay, but with his defeat I must keep moving, or I will surely kill you all." The New Party After a long march, Gurney arrived in Hiberna, exhausted, the blood of goblin raiders dripping from his gauntlets. After a long night of drinking the nightmares away, he found that the town guard would not let him continue his flight alone. Reluctantly, he joined a caravan of armed freaks who had been given clearance to leave: Lenny, a cunning rogue; Tolko, a brave bard; and several magic users. Regrettably, Lenny and Tolko learned magic some time later. He quickly realized that with goblins - and Buggo - haunting the Sovagxe woods, he would be safe from the bandit queen. However, Gurney is a guardsman, and it was his duty to defeat Buggo's forces. With the war seemingly at an end, Gurney prepared his next moves... Category:PC